Crisps
by isobeljones2000
Summary: Where Jathro's crisp obsession begun - with a young girl who doesn't know to be frightened. Set just after All Out War. One-shot.


**Crisps**

_A tribute to the dearly departed Jathro - I nearly cried after I watched the last episode 'Key of Bones Part 2' If you haven't seen it I'll say no more... But I hope you enjoy this!_

_Where Jathro continues his crisp obsession..._

The forest is dazzlingly bright as he steps out of the crashed escape pod, shaking his head to dispel the dizziness and blinking hard. It had been a while since he had steered a pod, and Jathro is a bit rusty. But he had survived. Not sucked into a parallel dimension, like the rest of the slave ships. Not eaten alive like his mother had been. And not a slave on the Zarantulus. They called it Technician status. A code word for slavery. He was free.

Jathro realises he has a form filter on his wrist. He dimly remembers putting it on when he made the plan to fall in an escape pod to Earth. He would need it here. It wasn't Nekron, but it was freedom. He could do anything here! He could get recognition! He could be recognised for a genius, instead of treated like a fool. Jathro laughs, the sound sounding alien to him on this planet. Alien. Haha. Maybe he could become an Earth comedian.

"Hello."

Jathro whirls around, feeling suddenly terrified. Varg had gone back to his own planet, hadn't he? He couldn't have caught up with him that fast, could he? He would be obliterated if that was true.

There stands a young halfling. A female, if he isn't mistaken. Long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. An interested look on her face. Jathro scrambles for his form filter, but it appears to be jammed. It needs to be charged.

"Er - this is all a dream?" he tries hesitantly. The girl smiles brightly.

"I'm Clarissa. What's your name?"

"Um..." Jathro scrambles to think of a suitable sounding Earth name. "Adam - Wright. Yes. Me."

"Are you one of those astrophysicists at the Observatory?" She can't be more than four of five Earth years old, but she sounds knowledgeable to Jathro's ears.

"Yes. I am one of those astrophysicists." Copying the girl's speech seems to work. Jathro straightens. "Adam Wright. Astrophysicist."

The girl laughs softly. "You sound funny."

"Er - thank you?"

"Would you like a crisp?" The girl holds out a red packet. Jathro, with his superior senses, can smell it from where he is standing. And to his surprise, it smells good. He takes one out and regards it for a few moments, taking in the slight curve, the golden yellow colour, the tiny crystals of salt gleaming on top of the surface.

"You're supposed to eat it. Like this." Clarissa pops one in her mouth and crunches it between her teeth, still smiling.

"It's not a trick, is it?" Jathro asks in sudden worry. She could be a Voolox, controlled by the Nekross, trying to drug him to bring him back.

"A trick? No. Eat it!" Clarissa looks vaguely confused but returns to her beaming smile.

Jathro puts the crisp in his mouth and chews carefully. The tastes burst across his tongue and he can't help a sigh of delight. It tastes really good. It could still be a trick, but it's a tasty one. No substitute for magic, but it might do.

"Do you like it?" Clarissa asks.

"That's really good," Jathro tells her, hoping for another. Instead, she rummages in her small backpack and brings out an identical packet. She passes it to him.

"There you go. Mummy says aliens are bad but I think you're just lost."

"You know I'm an alien?" Jathro asks. He remembers Lexi telling him about humans' superstitions and many fears. Why isn't this halfling scared of him?

"Yes. I've got to go now. Bye Adam Wright!" And the girl skips off, back into the forest. Jathro blinks at the speed at which that exchange took place, and wonders if all humans are like that. He guesses he's going to find out over however long he's here.

He opens the packet. It opens with a crackling sound, and there are more of the crisp things in there. Jathro picks one out, biting into it. So this is crisps.

He could get to like these.


End file.
